Burial-casket-lowering apparatus.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. J. BREED & J. G. WARTHE ,BURIAL CASKET LOWBRINGAPPARATUS. APPLIUATIGN 11,211 JULY 18, 3004.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1H: uoR/ws PErzRs co.. WASHINGTON. a. :4

PATENTED APR. 2, 19 07. W J'. BREED & J. G. WARTHERL BURIAL GASKETLOWERING' APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rmzn JULY 13, 1904.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET .2.

II I II I ll Ill f rfllil [772/517 far s THE nonms psrsns 120.,WAsHlNc1cN, o. c.

No.849,104. v PATENTED APR.2,1907. w. J. BREED &,J. G. WARTHER. H BURIALGASKET LOWERING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION PILED'JULYIB, 1904.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Il II]lIIIIIIIIlIIIII/IIIII Ill A M I UNITED STATES PATENT orrionWILLIAM J. BREED AND JOSEPH c. WARTHER, or CINCINNATI, OHIO, As-

sICNoRs To THE CRANE & BREED MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, CHIC,A CORPORATION or OHIO.

Specification.of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed July 18, 1904=. ;SerialiNo. 217,130.

To all whom it 77LLLZ/007L0677L.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. B EED and JOSEPH G. ARTiIER,:both of uscitizens of the United States of America, and residents ofCincinnati, inthe county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new anduseful Improvements in sBurialeCasket-Lowering Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in devices such asareadapted for .use in lowerin burial-caskets or coflins into the grave;and the object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracterof-a simple and inexpensive nature and of alight, compact, anddurable construction having improved means for lowering the casket orcoflin into the grave and forcovering over and concealing the mouth ofthe graveiboth before and after the lowering ofthecasketor coffin.

The invention consis tsin certain IlOVBlrfGiL- tures of theconstruction,combination, and arrangement of the several parts of theimproved lowering device and ofthe grave-covering means whereby certainimportant advant ages are attained and the .device is made simpler,cheaper, andotherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all aswill be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention Will-be defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate the invention,Fi ure 1 is an end elevation of the improvedcas lret-lowering means,certain portions of the casing at said end being omitted forillustration of the underlying parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thedevice as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial transversesection taken vertically through the device'iii the plane indicated by aa in Fig. 2 and showing certain features of construction of the gravecovering or concealing means. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiontaken in the plane indicated by line b I) in Fig. 3 and showing certainfeatures of construction of the detachable driving connection betweenthe casket-lowering and grave-coveringdevices. Fig. 5 is aview similarto Fig. 1,'but drawn to a reduced-scale andshowing the doors orremovable housings applied to the in Fig. 9. but showing certainelements of :the Clutch .device broken away to better illustrate theunderlying parts. taken vertically through the device .as seen end ofthe device. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view showing a portion of oneof the ifiexible curtains comprised in the grave-concealing means, andFig. 7 is a sectional edge elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is aperspectiveview, drawn to a reduced scale and showing the device as it appears whenin use. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken through thedevice in the plane indi- .cated by line c c in Fig. -1 and showing inend elevation the brake-and-clutch device em- .ployed for checking theoperation of thecasket-lowering means in case of accident. Fig. 10 1s aface view of the parts illustrated Fig. 11 1s a view similar to Fig. 9,

Fig. 121s an axial section in Figs. 9, 10, and 11.

As shownin these views, the device comprises a rectangular frame orcasing of a length sufficient vto permit it to be set over theigrave, sothat the casket or coffin may be lowered through the central opening ofthe frameinto the grave, and said frame or casing comprises end platesor portions 1 and 2, which are provided at their lower parts withdownwardly-extended lugs or projections3, adapted to rest upon the earthat-the opposite sides of the grave and to form a support for the device.The plates or end portions 1 and 2 are tied and connected together .attheir upper parts by means of rods 4, passed through lugs at oppositesides of said end plates and provided with nuts at their .eX- tremities,a similar arrangement of bars 4 being provided at the lower part of eachside of the frame or casing, said lower bars .4 having their-extremitiesattached by nuts or the=like to the lugs or projections 3. Bythisconstructionitwill be seen that the central'portion of the frame orCasing of the device :be-

the casket-lowering and grave-concealing LCD means are located upon theouter surface of the end plate or portion 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,and said end plate or portion 2 will be provided, as shown in Fig. 5,with doors or covers 5 5, hinged or otherwise detachably connectedthereto and designed for covering and protecting the working devices,being provided with openings, as shown in Fig. 5, or the passage ofoperating-handles, such as are used during the operation of themechanism. The doors or covers 5 5 will also be capable of being openedor removed to afford access to the interior parts for purposes of repairor adjustment.

To permit of conveniently lifting and carrying the improved loweringdevice, the end platesor portions 1 and 2 are preferably provided attheir lower portions with pivotallymounted handles 2 which when swungoutward are adapted to be grasped by the hands of persons bearing thedevice in order that the casing may be adjusted in position over thegrave. When the device is in position at the grave, the handles may bepushed back, as shown in Fig. 3, so as not to protrude from the casing.

The casket-lowering means, which is actuated from the weight of thecasket itself, comprises shafts 6 6, extended lengthwise of the casing,near the top thereof, said shafts being at opposite sides of the casingand being spaced apart sufficiently to permit the casket or cofiin to belowered into the grave between them and being for the sake of lightness,as shown herein, made hollow or tubular. 8 8 indicate tubular sleeves orhousings extended lengthwise of the casing between the end plates orportions 1 and 2 and inclosing the shafts 6, the internal diameter ofthe sleeves or housings being considerably greater than the diameter ofshafts 6, so that annular spaces are formed between the shafts andhousings.

In the sleeves or housings 8, at suitable intervals along the lengthsthereof, are pro duced openings 9 9, through which are adapted to bepassed the end portions of tapes or webbings 10 10, of flexiblematerial, which are extended across the space between the housings inposition to receive and support the casket or coflin to be lowered andwhich have their extremities within the sleeves or housings 8 attachedby suitable means to the winding-shafts 6, as indicated in Fig. 4,whereby when said shafts are turned in one direction the ends of thewebbings 10 will be wound thereon, so as to draw 1 is arranged atransversely-extended shaft 1.1, held in bearings 12 on the outersurface of said end plate or portion within the housings 5 5 and alinedin the plane in which the shafts 6 6 are extended, the extremities ofsaid shaft 11 being provided with bevel. gear-wheels 13 13, meshing withsimilar gears 14 14 on the extremities of the shafts 6 6, which, asshown in Figs. 1 and 4, are extended through the end portion 2 to theouter surface thereof, so that gears 13 and 14 may mesh with each other.By this construction it will be seen that the shafts 6 6 are caused tomove in unison, so that the opposite ends of the tapes or webbings maybe similarly wound on or unwound from said shafts, and at one end theshaft 11 is provided with a squared portion adjacent to an opening inthe housing 5 and adapted to receive a crank-handle 19, which when ap.plied thereto permits the shaft 11 to be turned so that the ends of thetapes or webbings may be wound on shafts 6 6rto draw the said tapes orwebbings taut across the casing in position to receive and support acasket or cofiin in position to be lowered into the grave.

For controlling the operation of the shafts 6 6 when the tapes orwebbings are unwound therefrom in lowering the casket or coffin into thegrave there are preferably two devices provided,which are capable ofindependent employment. One of these devices is designed, primarily, foruse in connection with light caskets or coflins and comprises awormwheel26,held to shaft 11 and meshing with a worm 25, the extremity of whichhas a squared portion, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which. is arrangedadjacent to an opening in the housing 5 and is adapted to receive acrank-handle, as indicated in. dotted lines in Fig. 2, which may be heldby the director and employed for controlling the descent of the casketor coflin into the grave. The wormwheel 26 has at one side aclutch-surface, with which is adapted to be engaged a clutch member 27,keyed or otherwise held to turn with shaft 11, but capable of movementendwise on said shaft and into out of engagement with the clutch-face ofsaid wormwheel. 28 indicates a lever fulcrumed on the end portion 2 andhaving forks engaged with the clutch member 27, the extremity of saidlever being extended, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.2, through anopening in housings 5, so as to be capable of being shifted for throwingthe clutch member in or out of en gagement with the worm-wheel. By thismeans it will be evident that when it is not desired to use theworm-gearing for lowering the casket or coffin the lever 28 may beshifted to disconnect the worm-wheel from shaft 11. The othercontrolling device, which is designed especially for use in connectionwith heavy caskets or coffins ,is indicated at 29 on the drawings and isadapted for use at such times as the lever 28 is manipulated to throwthe worm-gearing out of operation.

The mechanism indicated at 29 is in the nature of a brake device andcomprises a member 38 in the form of a pulley keyed at its hub 39 on thecentral portion of the shaft 11, with its peripheral surface adapted tobe engaged frictionally by a strap 36, having a leather or otherfrictional strip 37 held on its inner face for direct contact with thememher 38 and having its opposite end portions 35 bent downward andperforated for engagement with a screw 30, carried on a bracket 32 atthe end plate or portion 2 and having at one end a screw-thread 33engaged with one of the bent ends 35 of the brake-strap, and at itsother end a collar 34, engaged with the other bent end 35 of said strap.The threaded end portion 33 of screw has engagement with the bearingportion of bracket 32, and when said screw is turned in one direction itwill be seen that the bent ends 35 of brake-strap 36 will be movedtoward each other to cause said strap 36 to bear frictionally upon thebrake member 38, and when the screw 30 is reversely turned the ends 35of the strap will be separated to release said strap from frictionalengagement on the brake member. The screw 30 has a squared extremityadjacent to an opening in the housings 5 5 and adapted to receive ahandle, as indicated in dotted lines at 31 in Fig. 2, whereby thetension exerted by the strap 36 on the brake member 38 may be controlledby the director for regulating at all times the speed at which the partsoperate in lowering the casket or oofiin into the grave.

By means of the brake device above described the director mayconveniently regulate the descent of the casket or cofl'in and may checkthe same at any point in its descent, and in connection with said devicewe provide means for automatically checking the descent of the casket orcoffin in case of derangement of the parts of the casketloweringmechanism, so that in case of accident the casket is prevented fromfalling or dropping forcibly into the grave. Said automatic meanscomprises a plate or disk 40, having engagement with a screw-threadproduced upon one end of the hub 39 of the brake member 38, as shown inFig. 12, there being, as shown on the drawings, a washer 41 held by theplate or disk and bearing against the outer end of a volute spring 42,the inner end of which is engaged against the web of the brake member38. These parts 40, 41, and 42 are housed in a recess at the side of thebrake member 38, and normally the plate or disk 40 stands at the outerend of the threaded hub portion 39, so that the spring 42 is not undertension and offers little or no resistance to the turning of the brakemember 38; but the plate or disk 40 when turned relatively to the hubportion 39 is caused to traverse the length of said hub portion in sucha way as to compress the spring 42 and force the same into frictionalcontact with the web of the brake member in such a way as to effectivelyprevent the turning thereof, and consequently stop the turning of shaft11, on which the brake member is held. From the outer face of the plateor disk 40 are extended three pins 43, which carry at their extremitieshook-like members 44, held for turning movement on the pins, butprovided with stops 44 for engagement with projections 43" on the pins43, the arrangement of the stops and projections 44 and 43 being suchthat as shaft 11, carrying member 38, turns in the direction of thearrow as in Fig. 9 the pivotally-mounted members 44 will be caused todrop upon and rest against the upper surface of a sleeve 45, keyed onthe shaft 11, with their hooked extremities upturned, as indicated atthe top of Fig. 9. As the parts turn in the direction of the arrow ateach member 44 in descending from its elevated position will drop bygravity to a vertical position, in which its hooked extremity willtraverse a path outside of a projection 46, extended from the lower endof a slide-plate 47, mounted for movement in a vertical guideway 48 onthe end portion 2 of the casing.

The projection 46 is extended from the slide-plate on end portion 2toward the shaft 11, and the slide-plate 47 is normally upheld in theposition shown in full lines in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 by means of a spring49, the upper end of the slide-plate 47 having an arm 50 also directedover toward and above the shaft 11 and normally standing in upliftedpositions of the slide-plate, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, above theuppermost part of the circular path traversed by the pins 43 on plate ordisk 40.

At normal speeds of the shaft 1 1 and brake member 38 the swinging partsor members 44 in their descending movement will, as above stated, dropto a vertical position, so as not to actuate the devices for checkingthe operation of the casket-lowering means; but in case the descent ofthe casket or coflin should be too rapid the said parts or members 44will in their descent be actuated by centrifugal force in such a way asto throw their hooked extremities outward to the position shown indotted lines at y in Fig. 9, in which position their stops 44 areengaged against the projections 43" of pins 43 and their extremities areswung toward the end plate 2 of the casing, so as to stand in positionfor engagement upon the upper surface of the projection 46 at the lowerend of slide-plate 47, whereby said slide-plate is drawn downwardagainst the tension of its spring, so that its upper projecting arm 50is moved downward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, inwhich position the extremity of said arm 50 is imposed in the path ofthe pins 43 on plate or disk 40 and will be en gaged by one of the pins43 in such a way as to check the rotation of the plate or disk 40 andcause the same, by reason of its threaded engagement with the hub 39 ofthe brake member 38, to traverse said hub and to forcibly andfrictionally compress the spring 42 against the web of said brakemember, so as to check and stop the operation of the casket loweringmeans and prevent the casket or coffin from falling or being droppedinto the grave. One or both ends of each tape or webbing 10 will ofcourse be detachably connected with the shaft 6, so as to permit ofbeing released from the shaft when the casket or coffin has been loweredinto the grave in order that the tapes or webbings may be drawn endwisein a well-known way to disengage them from the casket or collin.

In certain cases it is desirable to lift the casket or coffin from thegrave after it has been lowered therein, and in such cases theworm-gearing, comprising worm-wheel 26 and worm 25, may be thrown inoperation by means of the lever 28, the crankhandle attached to thesquared part of the worm serving to offer sufficient leverage forlifting the casket or coffin even though the same be of considerableweight. When the casket or coffin has been lifted from the grave, it mayof course be held in raised position by tightening the brake-strap 36upon the brake member 38. j

The grave covering or concealing means comprises screens formed, asherein shown, of slender strips or slats 51, extended lengthwise of thespace between the end plates or portions 1 and 20f the casing, the endsof said slats or strips 51 being mounted on and connected together bymeans of sprocketchains 52, extended over chain-wheels 53,

54, and 55, which are held to turn upon the l inner surfaces of therespective end plates or portions 1 and 2 of the casing. There are twoof the screens thus formed, one screen being arranged to close or coverover each side of the space between the end plates or portions 1 and 2,through which the casket or coflin is lowered into the grave, and thescreens are similarly constructed and arranged, except that they areadapted to be moved by their actuating mechanisms in oppositedirections, so that as the casket or coffin is lowered the screens aremoved toward each other across the space between the end plates 1 and 2and across the top of the casket or collinto cover the mouth of thegrave and conceal the descending casket. In using the device the screensthus formed will be ordinarily draped with suitable material, which maycarry floral or other decorations,

so as to give to the device an appropriate appearance.

The three chain-wheels 53, 54, and 55 at each end of each screen are insuch relative arrangement that the chains 52, carried on them, arecaused to define a triangular figure, one side of which is extended.substantially parallel with the side of the casing and extends from thewheel 53 to the wheel 54, which wheels are arranged one above the otherat said side of the casing. Another side of the figure defined by eachchain 52 is extended along the top of the casing, at one side of thecentral part thereof, and is slightly curved to conform to a convexityproduced at the top of the casing, to maintain which curvature a guideor track 51 is provided, on which the chains 52 rest and slide at thispoint. This side of the triangle is extended from the chainwheel 53 atthe side of the casing to the chainwheel 55, which is-closely adjacentto the center of the casing and is carried on a stud 56, on the endportion thereof, the chain-wheels 55 55 at opposite ends of the casingbeing arranged a closely adjacent as possible, so that the screens maywhen closed fit snugly together along the center of the casing.

The screens at opposite sides of the casing are provided with means forsimultaneously moving them in opposite directions into open or closedpositions, and when the screens are moved into closed position, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3, the strips 51 will be adjusted so as to extend alongthe top of the casing, and when the screens are actuated to move theminto open position said strips 51 will be caused to move down over thechain-wheels 53 and traverse the sides of the triangular figures betweenchain-wheels 53 and 54 and at the side of the casing, so as to leavealong the central part of the casing an open space whereat the casket orcoffin supported 011 the tapes or webbings 10 may be lowered into thegrave. The slats or strips 51 may be formed from any desired material;but we prefer to produce said parts from metal of angular cross-section,each strip having, as shown in Fig. 7, a central downwardlyextendedstrengthening-rib on its lower surface.

The upper chain-wheels 53 at the sides of the casing are held to turnloosely upon re duced bosses at the ends of the sleeves or housings 8,as indicated in Fig. 4, and the central wheels 55 55 are mounted to turnloosely on studs 56, the wheels 54 being arranged to drive the chains 52at the ends of each screen in unison and being keyed or otherwise heldon shafts 7 '7, j ournaled in the end portions 1 and 2 of the casingbelow the shafts 6 6 at opposite sides of the casing, with which shafts6 said shafts are extended parallel through and beyond the end plate orportion 2 of the casing and carry outside of the same bevel gear-wheels18, which mesh with similar bevel-gears 17 at opposite ends of a shaft15, journaled in bearings 16 on the end portion 2 below the shaft 11.

Over the shaft 15 is coiled a spiral spring 19*, which is inclosedwithin a casing or barrel 20 of tubular form, one end of the springbeing held to the end plate or portion 2 of the casing, as seen at 19",and the opposite end thereof having connection with a ratchetwheel 21,the teeth of which are engaged by a dog or pawl carried on a collar heldon said shaft, the construction being such that said spring 19" exerts atension on the shaft tending to rotate the same in one direction, whichtension may be conveniently regulated by means of the ratchet devicecomprising wheel 21 and its dog or pawl. By means of said spring it willbe evident that the shaft 15 will be rotated and the screens moved intoclosed position, and the screens will be held closed and prevented fromrattling, owing to the connection between their shafts 7 and said shaft15.

22 indicates a sprocket-wheel held on the shaft 1 1 with its teethengaged by a sprocketchain 28, which is extended down around a wheel 24on the shaft 15. As shown in the detail view Fig. 4, the sprocket-wheel22 has a hollow boss 57 at one side, in which is adapted to befrictionally engaged a coneshaped member 58, keyed or otherwise held toturn with the shaft 11, but adapted for endwise movement thereon intoand out of frictional engagement with said hollow boss 57 ofsprocket-wheel 22.

58 indicates a lever pivoted on the frame and having connection with themember 58 for throwing the same endwise of shaft 11 into and out ofengagement with the boss of wheel 22, and 59 indicates a lever havingforks which are pivotally connected to opposite sides of a collar heldto turn loosely on member 58. The forks of lever 59 are formed withprojections 59*, adapted for engagement on the end surface of the hollowboss 57 of sprocket-wheel 22, and the said lever 59 is connected withone end of a spring 60, the opposite end of which has connection withthe end portion 2 of the casing, said spring being adapted to draw thelever 59, together with member 58, over toward the left, as the partsare shown in Fig. 4, so as to hold the member 58 normally out ofengagement with the boss of sprocket-wheel 22.

61 indicates a trip-bar pivotally connected with the end of lever 59 onthe inner side of the end portion 2 of the casing, said trip-bar havingits central portion suspended by means of a link 62 and having its freeend flattened and arranged in the path of a cam or projection 63 on theupper sprocketwheel 53 at one side of the casing.

One end of the shaft 15 has a projecting squared portion 15 arrangedadjacent to an opening in housing 5 at one side of the casing andadapted to receive a crank-handle, by means of which said shaft 15 maybe turned for actuating the grave-concealing screens. In the use of thedevice the casing when placed in position over the grave will be drapedwith suitable material, so that the mechanical construction thereof willbe hidden, and in Fig. 8 we have illustrated the general appearance ofthe device when in position for use.

4 indicates a drapery of any desired kind, provided at its upper partwith hooks, as indicated at 4 in dotted lines in Fig. 3, for engagementwith the upper bars 4 along the sides of the casing or with other partsof the device, as may be desired, and 8 indicates another drapery,extended along the upper portionsof the casing to conceal the attachmentof the drapery 4 and also to cover the exposed upper portions of thecasing. The screens are indicated in closed position in Fig. 8, and willbe covered over, as above stated, with drapery, on which floral or otherdecorations will be carried.

When the device is in position over the grave, as shown in Fig. 8, andit is desired to place the casket or coffin in position to be loweredinto the grave, a crank-handle will be first attached to the squared end15* of shaft 15, and said shaft will be turned to an extent sufficientto move the screens outward away from each other and toward the sides ofthe casing, so that an open space wide enough for the descent of thecasket or coffin is afforded at the central part of the device. Thetapes or webbings 10 being held taut across such open space by properadjustment of the brake device 29 by means of handle 30, the casket orcoffin is rested on said tapes or webbings and will be supported thereonuntil such time as it may be desired to lower it into the grave, thescreens and drapery carried theron covering the spaces at the sides ofthe casket or coffin and concealing the mouth of the grave. When it isdesired to lower the casket or coffin, either the worm device or brakedevice may be employed for regulating its descent, as above described,the automatic controlling means, comprising pins 43 and slide-plate 47,being adapted for use to check the descent of the casket or coflin atany time, so that in case of accident the casket 'or coffin is preventedfrom dropping into the grave. When the descent of the casket or coffinis commenced, the lever 58 will be manipulated to place the member 58 inengagement with the boss of sprocket-wheel 22 on shaft 11, so that theturning movement of said shaft will be communicated through the chain 23and wheel 24 to the lower transverse shaft 15 and through the gearing tothe screen-actuating shafts 7 7 at opposite sides of the device. Themanipulation of the lever 58 will be timed so that the actuation of thescreens through their shafts 7 7 will occur whenthe casket has beenlowered sufficiently far to permit the screens to be moved into closedpositions above the same, and when the lever 58 is drawn over toward theright, as the parts are shown in Fig. 4, the flattened end of thetrip-bar 61 will be presented in the path of the cam 63 on theupper-idlersprocket 53, so that when said sprocket 53 shall havecompleted a rotation and the screens shall have been correspondinglymoved so that their inner adjacent parts meet at the center of thecasing the cam 63 will contact with the flattened end of tripbar 61 andwill move said trip-bar over toward the right, whereby the projections59 on the forks of lever 59 will be pressed against the end of boss 57on sprocket-wheel 22 in such a way that said lever 59 will be swung onsaid projections as fulcra whereby the member 58, connected with theextremities of the forks of lever 59, will be withdrawn from engagementwith the boss of wheel 22 and spring 60 will operate to draw said member 58 over toward the left, as the parts are shown in Fig. 4, so thatrotative movement will: no longer be transmitted from shaft 11 to thescreen-actuating mechanism, and consequently the screens will be stoppedfrom further movement.

After the movement of the screens shall have been stopped, as abovedescribed, the descent of the casket or coflin will, however, continueuntil the same shall have arrived at the foot of the grave, such furtherdescent of the casket or coflin being of course under full control ofthe director through the wormgearing and brake device and will also beunder control of the automatic checking mechanism, above described, sothat in case of derangement of the parts the descent of the casket orcoflin will be automatically stopped.

From the above description of our invention it will be seen that thedevice is of an extremely simple and inexpensive nature and isespecially well adapted for use, since it per mits of lowering thecasket or coflin into the grave without liability of accidents due tobreakage or derangement of the mechanism, the descent of the casket orcoflin being at all times under direct control of the undertaker andbeing further automatically controlled by the checking mechanism. Thegraveconcealing means also effectually covers the mouth of the grave andconceals the same after the casket or coffin has been lowered.

It will also be obvious from the above description of our improvementthat the device is capable of considerable modification without materialdeparture from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for thisreason we do not Wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to theprecise form and arrangement of the device herein set forth in carryingout our invention in practice.

Having thus described our invention, 'what we claim, and desire tosecureby Letters Patent, is

1, A device of the character described comprising a casing having aspace for communicaiion with a grave when the casing is over the grave,casket-lowering meansoomprising a rotative part provided withaprojection and a device controlled from-the operation of thecasket-lowering means and movable in the path of the projection onsaidrotative part.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having aspace for communication with a grave, casket-lowering means comprising arotative part, means to check the rotation of said part and comprisingmembers having threaded connection, one member being adapted, whenthe'memhers are relatively moved, to exert frictional pressure on saidrotative part and mechanism controlled from the movement of thecasket-lowerin g me ans and controlling the movement of one memberrelatively to the-other.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means comprising a rotative member, a screwthreaded partarranged to turn in unison with the movement of the casket-loweringmeans, a device having threaded engagement with said screw-threaded partand arranged to turn in unison therewith, but adapted, when movedrelatively thereto, to traverse the screw-threaded part and to exertfrictional pressure on the rotative part to check the operation of thecasket-lowering means and mechanism'controlled from the movement of thecasket-lowering means and controlling the movement of said frictional.engaging device relatively to the screw-threaded part.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means comprising a rotative member, a screw threadedpart arranged to turn in unison with the movement of the casket-loweringmeans, a device having threaded engage- ICIO ment with saidscrew-threaded part and 'arranged to turn in unison therewith, butadapted, when moved relatively thereto, to traverse the screw-threadedpart and to exert frictional pressure on the rotative part to check theoperation of the casket-lowering means, a projection on said device andmechanism controlled from the movement of'the casket-lowering means andmovable in engagement with said projection.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means comprising a rotative member, a screwthreaded partarranged to turn in unison with the movement of the casket-loweringmeans, a device having threaded engagement with said part and arrangedto turn in unison therewith, but adapted, when moved relatively thereto,to traverse the screwthreaded part and to exert pressure on the rotativemember to check the operation of the casket-lowering means, a projectionon said device, a slide-plate movable in and out of engagement with theprojection, means to hold said plate out of engagement with theprojection and a device arranged to turn in unison with the movement ofthe casket lowering means and adapted, upon increase of speed, to engageand move the slide-plate into engagement with said projection.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, a driving connectionbetween the casket-lowering means and said grave-concealing devices andmechanism actuated from the operation of the graveconcealing devices forthrowing said driving connection out of operation.

7. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, a driving connectioncomprising a disengageable clutch de vice between the casket-loweringmeans and the grave-concealing devices and mechanism actuated from theoperation of the graveconcealing devices for throwing said clutch deviceof the driving connection out of operation.

S. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means comprising shafts extended along the sides of thecasing and geared to a transverse shaft atitheir ends, a sprocket-wheelon the transverse shaft, and provided with a clutch-surface, a clutchmember held to turn with the transverse shaft but movable endwisethereof in and out of engagement with the clutchsurface of thesprocket-wheel, grave-conceal ing devices comprising shafts along thesides of the casing and geared to a transverse shaft at their ends, asprocket-wheel on said lastnamed transverse shaft, a chain passed overthe sprocket-wheels on said transverse shafts, and means, actuated fromthe operation of the grave-concealing devices for moving the clutchmember endwise on the first-named transverse shaft.

9. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices comprising a partmounted to move and provided with a pro jection, a driving connectioncomprising a disengageable clutch device between the easket-loweringmeans and the grave-concealing devices, and mechanism for throwing saidclutch device of the driving connection out of operation and comprisinga lever connected with a movable clutch member and a tripbar actuatedfrom the projection of the grave-concealing devices and connected withthe lever.

10. A device of the character described comprising a casing formed ofend portions,

rods extended along the sides of the casing 1 with extremities securedto the end portions thereof, casket-lowering means comprising shaftsextended along opposite sides of the casing and adapted for connectionwith tapes for supporting a casket or coffin and provided with actuatingmeans and grave-concealing devices and means detachably con nected withsaid rods for covering the sides of the casing.

11. A device of the character described I comprising a casing, 4grave-concealing devices comprising a shaft held to turn, a springcoiled on the shaft with an end held to the casing, and a part connectedwith the other end of the spring and adjustably held to the shaft.

12. A device of the character described comprising a casing having endportions but open along its sides, devices extended longitudinally alongthe sides of the casing and means, detachably held upon said devices forclosing the open sides of the casing.

13. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, and resilient means formoving the grave-concealing devices into closed osition.

14. device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices and resilient meanscontrolled from the operation of the casketlowering means and arrangedto move the grave-concealing devices into closed position.

15. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, resilient means formoving the grave-concealing devices into closed position and mechanismactuated from the operation of the casket-lowering means and controllingthe operation of the graveconcealing devices.

16. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, resilient means formoving the grave concealing devices into closed position, a drivingconnection between the casket-lowering means and the graveconcealingdevices for controlling the move ment of said devices from the operationof the casket-lowering means and mechanism for throwing said drivingconnection out of operation.

17. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, resilient means formoving the grave concealing devices into closed position, a drivingconnection between the casket-lowering means and the graveconcealingdevices for controlling the movej ment of said devices from theoperation of the casket-lowering means and mechanism actuated from themovement of the graveconcealing devices for throwing said drivingconnection out of operation. 18. A device of the character describedcomprising a casing, casketdowering means, grave-concealin devices,means for moving the grave-concealing devices into closed position andmechanism for controlling the movement of the grave-concealing devicesand actuated from. the operation of the casket-lowering means.

19. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, means for moving thegrave-concealing devices into closed positio'n, a driving connectionbetween the cas ket-lowering means and the grave-concealing devices forcontrolling the movement of said devices from the operation of thecasket-lowering means and mechanism for throwing said driving connectionout of operation.

20. A device of the character described comprising a casing,casket-lowering means, grave-concealing devices, means. for moving thegrave-concealing devices into closed position, a driving connectionextended between the casket-lowering means and the graveconcealingdevices for controlling the move ment of said devices from the operationof the casket-lowering means and comprising a clutch device andmechanism controlled from the movement of the grave-concealing devicesand connected with said clutch device for eams throwing the drivingconnection out of operation.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination of a framehaving a space for communication with a grave when the frame is over thegrave, casketdowering means, a brake device the parts of which areadapted for en agement to check the operation of the casket-loweringmeans and mech-. anism actuated in unison with. the casketlowering meansand controlling the engagement of said parts of the brake device.

22. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame,casket-lowering means, a rotative part having operative connection withsaid casket-lowering means and devices engageable with. said part andadapted, respectively, for manual control and for control from themovement of the casketlowering means and adapted for engagement,

with said rotative part to check the operation of the casket-loweringmeans.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio, this th day of June, 1904.

WILLIAM J. BREED. JOSEPH G. WARTHER.

Witnesses M. I. PARRY, JOHN ELIAS JoNns.

